Chapter 11

A few days later, the flock began their trip back to the north. The first few days were again spent making short jaunts as the younger robins worked to build their wing muscles and eat as much as possible so they would all finally be in shape for the long trip that would follow, including the night long flight across the ocean that Hector now knew was the Gulf of Mexico.

Hector spent most of his time flying with Maria. He was concerned that she had not eaten enough to get in shape for the trip as the longer flights seemed to make her very tired. With each break they took, Hector would hunt her fresh worms and bugs even before he hunted for himself. Of course he didn’t see that as a problem for himself as he was one of the best young hunters in the entire flock. After about their fourth day, they came to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico.

They spent the day near the beaches, hunting for more food and resting for the long trip they would embark upon that night. Hector’s flock was one of the many flocks of birds that used the Mississippi Flyway, a sort of trail in the sky that the flocks used every year during their annual migrations. This flyway involves a long crossing of the Gulf of Mexico between the Yucatan Peninsula and the coast of Louisiana. Had Hector not spent so much time studying the globe in the house where Carlos lived he would have never known these things. Before, Hector could only follow the flock, but now he could lead the way if he chose to do so. Hector’s flock would follow the flyway all the way to Minnesota before they got to their summer homes.

Just as the sun dropped below the horizon, a group of the elder robins began flying back and forth calling to all the others telling them it was time to go. As more and more robins heard their calls, they too began to fly back and forth with the rest of them. “Hector Dear,” Maria asked. “Aren’t we going to join them?”

“Just as soon as they finish gathering everyone up and start across the water,” Hector answered. “I want you to rest as long as you can. We can bring up the rear.”

“You’re so smart,” Maria cooed.

The crossing was much more difficult than it had been in the fall. The winds were stronger and the air was colder. Hector realized that Maria was having a hard time keeping up and wondered if she was going to make it. Already, a few members of the flock had fallen far behind, and everyone was left to wonder if they would make the trip across the vast gulf. About three hours into the crossing, it became apparent to Hector that Maria wasn’t going to be able to make the trip. Remembering the globe, Hector turned to the left to fly southwest  instead of north. “Follow me!” Hector shouted to Maria and the others who were falling behind.

“Hector, where are you going?” Maria gasped. “You’ll get lost.”

“Follow me!” Hector shouted. “I know the way.”

“Hector, are you sure?” Maria asked.

“How can you know the way?” another robin shouted. “You’re too young to know the way.”

“I studied the globe,” Hector answered. “I know another way.”

It took almost two hours, but Hector led them to the coast of Mexico, just to the northwest of where they had started their crossing. As they all began to land in the trees that grow near the marshes that surround the opening where the Rio Grande River empties into the Gulf of Mexico. “Hector,” Maria asked, “how did you know about this place?”

“From the globe in the house where Carlos lives,” Hector replied.

“But how are we going to find the others?” Maria asked.

“Yeah, Hector,” a robin named Victor asked, “how are we going to find the others?”

“All we have to do is keep following the beach north,” Hector replied. “Then the beach will turn east and we’ll cross their path in Louisiana where the Mississippi River runs into the gulf. It’s so big we won’t be able to miss it.”

“Well,” Victor replied, “we followed you this far so I guess we’ve got no choice but to keep following you. I sure hope you’re right, Hector.”

“My Hector is always right,” Maria cooed.

As the sun began to rise, Hector and the others had their first look at the marshes beneath them. While it looked as if there would be plenty to eat here, this was not the sort of place where young robins would normally hang out. There were lots of birds here, great blue herons, storks, and gulls that occasionally flew inland from the gulf, but they were the only robins to be seen. There were also lots of other animals that robins normally stay away from like snakes and swamp rats. There was also one kind of animal none of them had ever seen before. “Hector, Hector, come quick!” Maria shouted with terror. “It’s a monster!”

“That’s not a monster,” Hector replied as he, Victor, and the others all lighted in the tree where Maria was seated watching a giant lizard-like creature in the water below them.

“What is is?” Maria asked.

“I think it’s a crocodile,” Hector answered.

“How do you know?” Victor asked.

“Carlos told me about them,” Hector replied.

“Well then he told you wrong,” the crocodile spoke up. “I’m an alligator, not a crocodile.”

“I’m sorry,” Hector apologized, “Carlos told me about alligators too. I just got confused.”

“It’s okay,” the alligator laughed, “lots of folks get alligators and crocodiles confused. Now why would a bunch of young robins be hanging out around these parts? You’re not from around here are you?”

“No sir,” Hector replied, “We’re migrating north.”

“What, “ the alligator asked, “are you lost?”

“Oh no,” Maria answered, “Hector knows the way. We just got too tired to fly so Hector led us here to rest.”

“Well you take care,” the alligator cautioned, “there’s lots of hungry snakes around here who would love to eat little birds like yourself.”

“You mean you wouldn’t eat us?” Victor asked.

“Oh no,” the alligator laughed, “I’m a vegetarian, myself.”

“I wouldn’t get too close to him,” Hector whispered to the other robins. “I don’t believe he’s really a vegetarian.”

“And I’m not going to find out,” Maria whispered. “I still think he looks like a monster.”

“What was that?” the alligator asked. “I’m having trouble hearing you, must have mud in my ears.”

“She said it was time for us to go,” Hector said as they all began flying to the north. “See you later, alligator.”

“Darn,” the alligator mumbled as the robins all flew out of sight, “birds always do that to me. I guess I’ll just have to eat turtle again today. Oh how I hate those hard shells.”